Kernel Upgrade(RKS) using LAMA 3.0

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Introduction 

SAP has developed a powerful tool to automate many administrations task like System start/stop, Kernel Upgrade, System Refresh, System Copy, DB copy, System movement, SAP/DA Instance provisioning, HANA DB replication administration etc.

I will cover Kernel upgrade through LAMA in this blog post. Below are the few bullet points manual procedure vs LAMA automation.

RKS is the mechanism to avoid downtime of SAP system and we can use this for Kernel upgrade, static parameter changes without stopping SAP application. There will be no impact on end-user’s operations. The whole procedure is fully automatic and consider the application restart sequence automatically. SAP System should have separate ACSS and one additional application server to use RKS mechanism.

Below is the sequence –

ERS Instance à ACS Instance à Application server 1 à Application Server 2à Application Server N

Below diagram is from SAP standard documents.

https://help.sap.com/viewer/1ba3197c1aa7489882770103e3a610dc/7.40.18/en-US/cf27b86ddc314f2c9ab6ee225...

We can upgrade SAP systems kernel centrally by using SAP LAMA using LAMA’s mass operation and also, we can create custom operation template landscape wise and schedule this operation through job scheduler of LAMA.

Creating Kernel Upgrade (RKS) Configuration Repository

We have to create repository configuration in LAMA under infrastructure. This configuration holds the physical location of required software for different LAMA operation.

For Example – Kernel Upgrade (RKS), SAP Instance Provisioning, DA Agent Provisioning, HANA DB Upgrade etc.

Here we will focus on Kernel Switch Configuration only.

Open LAMA UI using below URL

https://<LAMAHOST>:50001/lama

Now navigate to configuration à Infrastructure and then Repositories

Click on Add Repository and give meaningful name like “RKS Kernel Upgrade”. Select the host where you have software repositories and mounted on across the landscape. Now select the Repository type from the drop-down menu.

Now Click on Next and select the NFS mounted File system which contains software repositories on OS level.

Now click on save.

 

 

Now select the newly created repository and add configuration on the same screen as per below screen.

Click on Next and insert all details as per the below screen.

Provide software repository location path and then save.

Note:- sapmanifest.mf and sapmanifestdb.mf need to be extract in the same location using SAPCAR command like below screen.

Kernel Upgrade procedure

Now we are good to perform Kernel Upgrade through LAMA. Navigate to mains screen of LAMA.

Now click on Parameters and select the configuration which we have created in our earlier steps.

 

*RKS Restart Only is used if we want to update any static parameter and need a rolling switch only. Now click on next and select set.

Soft time is the time to allow user to remain the session on the system and user will be logout once this time will be over. We can change this time as per our requirement.

Wait time – LAMA wait till the specified time reached before starting the application and after this time RKS will move to another application

Now Click on Execute.

Now Kernel upgraded to new SPS.

Create Operation Template for RKS Kernel Upgarde

We can create our own template and execute this task for a specific system or group of systems.

Navigate to Administration page of LAMA and then select Operations à Operation Templates as per below screen.

Click on create and provide meaningful name.

Now create steps for Kernel Upgrade.

 

Select Kernel Update (Rolling Kernel Switch) Steps like below screen.

Now select Entries (System or systems) like below screen

Now update the parameters for all system s like we have done in pervious screen.

Update parameter like below

Now repeat this for all selected systems as per below screen and save the entries.

Now we can see our operation template under operation template in the menu.

Now we can directly execute the operation for the systems, or we can schedule this using LAMA scheduler.

Conclusion

SAP LAMA is very useful in large SAP landscape administration, and we can manage most of the operation centrally through LAMA. It will help to reduce human mistake and save man hours.